October 2010Vol. 11, No. 8NSCAW Findings on the Status of Children

The Administration for Children and Families' Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) recently released three new research briefs based on data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW). NSCAW is a longitudinal study of children at risk of abuse or neglect or already in the child welfare system. Data are drawn from firsthand reports from children, parents, and other caregivers, as well as reports from caseworkers, teachers, and administrative records.

• A Summary of NSCAW Findings presents an overview of the main NSCAW findings on children's safety, permanency, and well-being in the following key areas:
  • Permanency and living situation, including whether children are living at home, are in an out-of-home care, have been adopted, or are living with kin
  • Child and family well-being, including health needs, delinquent behavior, and caregiver risk factors
  • Use of mental health, special education, and parenting services

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/abuse_neglect/nscaw/reports/summary_nscaw/nscaw_research_brief_main_findings.pdf (202 KB)

• Kinship Caregivers in the Child Welfare System examines the parenting provided by kinship caregivers to children age 10 or younger who have been involved in investigations of child maltreatment. The study found that, on average, kinship caregivers were older, less educated, less likely to be married, and more likely be living under the Federal poverty level than foster caregivers. The implications of these findings for the quality of care and the need for better financial supports for these families are discussed.

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/abuse_neglect/nscaw/reports/kinship_caregivers/rb_15_2col.pdf (417 PDF)

• Children Involved With Child Welfare: A Transition to Adolescence, is the third in a series and presents findings from the NSCAW Wave 5 follow-up (6 to 7 years after baseline). It provides information about safety, adolescent well-being, services received by adolescents and their caregivers, and child welfare system services for 1,484 adolescents who were reported for maltreatment when they were between 3 and 11 years old.

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/abuse_neglect/nscaw/reports/transition_to_adolescence/wave5_adolescence_report_final.pdf (549 KB)

A complete list of NSCAW-related reports can be found on the OPRE website:
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/abuse_neglect/nscaw